Sports boot, particularly for skiing, skating or snow-boarding

ABSTRACT

A sport boots, particularly for skiing, skating, or snow-boarding, in which an opening, a rear portion ( 3 ), and an opposed front portion ( 4 ) are identified, comprises a support element ( 5 ) which is provided substantially in the region of the opening ( 2   d ), and which can pivot between a first position, in which it is close to the rear portion ( 3 ), and a second position, in which it is towards the front portion ( 4 ), as well as connection means ( 6 ) between the support element and the front portion for bringing about pivoting of the support element as a result of forward bending of the front portion.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a sports boot, particularly for skiing,skating, or snow-boarding, according to the characteristics set out inthe preamble to the main claim.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

When practising these sports, it is known to use sports boots comprisinga shell and a bootleg with a rigid structure. However, although on theone hand sports boots of this type help significantly to protect thesportsperson's feet and ankles, on the other hand, they are not verysuitable for following his movements in use. This problem appears inparticular when it is necessary to bend the leg forwards, for example,when performing a turn. As a result of the bending, a space is in factcreated between the leg and the rear portion of the bootleg (or of aninner boot housed therein), which leads to less precise control of theequipment, as well as the undesirable possibility of snow entering theboot. This limitation is particularly evident with sportspersons whohave quite thin legs, for whom it is sometimes not possible to achieve afit of the upper part of the bootleg against the calf, even in restconditions. A sports boot having the features outlined in the preambleof the main claim is disclosed in EPA 371915, in EPA 477817 and in theU.S. Pat. No. 4,888,889.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The problem underlying the present invention is to provide a sportsboot, particularly for skiing, skating or snow-boarding, which isdesigned structurally and functionally to overcome the limitationsexplained above with reference to the prior art mentioned.

This problem is solved by the present invention by means of a bootformed in accordance with the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics and the advantages of the invention will becomeclearer from the detailed description of some preferred embodimentsthereof, described by way of non-limiting example with reference to theappended drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic side elevational views of a sports bootproduced in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention,in a first operative position and in a second operative position,respectively,

FIG. 3 is a view in partial section, taken on the line III-III of FIG.1,

FIG. 4 is a perspective side view of a detail of the boot of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a cutaway front view of the detail of FIG. 4, taken on theline V-V of FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with a different arrangement of anelement of the boot,

FIG. 7 is a schematic side elevational view of a sports boot produced inaccordance with a second embodiment of the present invention,

FIGS. 8 to 11 are schematic, perspective, side elevational or rearelevational views of respective variants of a component of the boot ofFIG. 1,

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of the component of FIG. 10 formed inaccordance with a variant of the boot of the present invention,

FIG. 13 is a partial view of a third embodiment of the boot according tothe invention,

FIG. 14 is a partial perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the bootaccording to the invention,

FIG. 15 is a schematic view of the boot of FIG. 14 from above,

FIG. 16 is a side elevational view of a fifth embodiment of the bootaccording to the invention,

FIG. 17 is a side elevational view of a detail of the boot of FIG. 16,

FIG. 18 is a section taken on the line XVIII-XVIII of FIG. 17,

FIGS. 19 to 21 are schematic views of variants of the boot of FIG. 16,from above, and

FIG. 22 is a side elevational view of a further variant of the boot ofFIG. 16.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

With reference initially to FIGS. 1 to 6, a first embodiment of a sportsboot formed in accordance with the present invention, is generallyindicated 1. The boot 1 is a ski boot and comprises a shell la with arigid structure, to which is fixed a bootleg 2 in relation to which, andalso with reference to the normal use of the boot 1, an opening 2 a and,adjacent thereto, a rear portion 3 and a front portion 4, are identifiedin the boot 1. In this description, in particular with reference to theembodiments described below, the definition of the extent of the terms“front portion” and “rear portion” is not limited to the bootleg 2, butalso extends to the corresponding front and rear regions of the boot 1.In particular, the front portion 4 may also include the front region ofan inner boot inserted in the bootleg 2, and the rear portion mayinclude the rear region of the shell as described below in the third andin the fifth embodiments of the invention, respectively.

According to a principal characteristic of the invention, in the regionof the opening 2 a of the boot 1, there is a support element 5 which canpivot between a first operative position, in which it is close to therear portion 3 (FIG. 1, and broken line in FIG. 2), and a secondoperative position, in which it is moved towards the front portion 4(solid line in FIG. 2).

The support element 5 in this first embodiment is housed inside thebootleg 2, has a rigid structure, and is substantially cradle-shapedwith a curvature similar and corresponding to that of the rear portion 3of the boot 1.

The boot 1 also comprises connection means, generally indicated 6,acting between the support element 5 and the front portion 4 so as tobring about the pivoting of the support element 5 between one operativeposition and the other as a result of any forward movement of the frontportion 4.

The connection means 6 in turn comprise a first strap 7 which is wrappedaround the support element 5, between the latter and the rear portion 3,so that, as a result of tensioning of the first strap 7, the supportelement 5 is moved from the first operative position to the second.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention shown in particular in FIG.3, the first strap 7 is closed around the rear portion 3 after beingguided through a pair of guides 8 provided on opposite sides of thesupport element 5, respectively. The ends 9 a, 9 b of the first strap 7are advantageously closed onto the support element 5 in a protected andconcealed position. For this purpose the support element 5 has, in acentral position, a through-hole 10 through which the ends 9 a, 9 b ofthe first strap 7 are led onto a surface 5 a of the support element 5facing the front portion 4.

The connection means 6 also comprise a second strap 11 which isadvantageously guided through the guides 8 and closed onto itself aroundthe front portion 4 so as to tighten the first strap 7 as a result of aforward movement thereof. The degree of tensioning both of the firststrap 7 and of the second strap 11 are intended to be adjustable by theuser, preferably by means of touch-close pull fastening means, indicated12 and 13, respectively. When the front portion 4 is bent forwardsbecause of the bending performed by the sportsperson, for example, whenexecuting a turn, the movement of the front portion brings abouttranslation, in the same direction, of the second strap 11 and of thefirst strap 7, connected thereto by means of the pair of guides 8. Thetensioning of the first strap 7 leads to pivoting of the support element5 from the first operative position to the second. The support element 5thus remains close to the sportsperson's leg, following it in itsmovement and taking up the variation in cross-section which occurs inthe region of the opening 2 a as a result of the forward bending of thefront portion 4. Contact between the sportsperson's leg and the boot 1is thus maintained around the entire periphery of the leg.

It should be noted that, in the embodiment described, the amplitude ofthe pivoting of the support element 5 is increased by the particulararrangement of the two straps 7, 11, guided by the guides 8.

FIG. 6 shows the boot 1, in which the first strap 7 is arranged in analternative manner to that described above. It is wrapped around therear portion 3 of the bootleg and onto the support element 5 in a mannersuch that the respective directions of wrapping, indicated A and B inFIG. 6, are offset relative to one another. This arrangementadvantageously enables the pressure exerted on the sportsperson's leg bythe first strap to be distributed over a larger area.

A second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 7 which shows asports boot 20 in which details thereof which are similar to those ofthe boot 1 of the previous embodiment are identified by the samereference numerals. In the boot 20, a lever mechanism is provided fortensioning the first strap 7 and connecting it to the front portion 4.The first strap 7, the central portion of which is interposed betweenthe support element 5 and the rear portion 3, is restrained, at itsfirst end 9 a, inside the bootleg 2 and, at its opposite end 9 b, on acomponent 21 of a lever fastening provided on the bootleg 2. The leverfastening is of conventional type and is shown only partially in FIG. 7.The end 9 b and the component 21 (constituting, for example, the base ofthe fastening) are connected to one another by means of a pin or a rivet22 guided for sliding through a through-slot 23 provided in the bootleg2. It is thus possible to adjust the tensioning of the first strap 7.

It should be noted that, in this solution, the path of the first strap 7is advantageously entirely inside the bootleg 2.

In conventional manner, both the boot 1 and the boot 20 comprise aninner boot 25, housed in the bootleg 2 and made of soft material inorder to house the sportsperson's foot and leg comfortably. According toa characteristic of the present invention which tends to favour constantcontact between the sportsperson's leg and the boot, preferentialyielding regions are provided on the inner boot 25 to enable its topportion 26 to pivot simultaneously with the pivoting of the supportelement 5.

FIGS. 8 to 11 show various alternative embodiments of inner boots (allindicated 25) which have been developed to respond to this functionalrequirement. In FIG. 8, for example, the inner boot 25 is open in itsfront region in which it has a front tongue 27 which is separated fromthe remaining portion 28 of the bootleg so that the bootleg can pivotfreely to a certain extent, relative to the tongue 27. In FIGS. 9 and10, the preferential yielding regions, indicated 29 and 30 respectively,extend at ankle level in a direction parallel to the plane defined bythe sole of the inner boot and transversely relative thereto towards aninstep region thereof, respectively. In the embodiment of FIG. 11, thepreferential yielding region is constituted by a vertical slot 31extending at the rear and open at the top of the inner boot 25. In thislatter embodiment, the inner boot 25 comprises a rear tongue 32 fixed,for example, by stitching 33, to the rear portion 34 of the inner boot,to cover the vertical slot 31. The tongue 32 enables the user's leg tobe housed adequately and comfortably in the various operative conditionsof the inner boot 25. The inner boot described in this last embodimentwith reference to

FIG. 11 is that which is most preferred for use in the boots accordingto the invention.

In FIGS. 8 to 11, respective arrows F indicate the movements of thepreferential yielding regions brought about as a result of the pivotingmovement of the support element 5 between the first and second positionsof FIGS. 1 and 2, which pivoting movement in turn is indicated byrespective arrows G.

In the preferred embodiments described up to now, the support element 5is articulated to the bootleg 2. In particular, it is fixed pivotably tothe bootleg 2 by pin fixing means 35 which are provided on the oppositesides of the rear portion 3 and which permit pivoting between theabove-described operative positions, by rotating about an axis X. Theheight of the support element 5 relative to the bootleg 2 is preferablyalso adjustable, owing to the provision of holes 36 formed at differentheights in the support element 5, each hole being able to house thefixing pins 35.

With reference to FIG. 12, the teaching of the present invention canalso be implemented by the fixing or incorporation of the rigid supportelement 5 directly to or in the inner boot 25, in a position facing therear portion 3 of the bootleg. In this case, the preferred configurationof the connection means 6 is that described above with reference to FIG.7, in which the first strap 7 (partially indicated in broken outline inFIG. 12) is inside the bootleg and is tightened by means of a levermechanism.

In a third embodiment of the invention, shown in FIG. 13, in whichsimilar details of a boot 50 are indicated by the same referencenumerals as in the previous embodiments, the front part of the bootleg 2has a lowered shape so that the second strap 11, which is tightenedbetween the guides 8 and the front portion 4, fits closely around thetop portion 26 of the inner boot 25, in particular around a front region26 a identified thereon. In this case, the bending of the front portion4 resulting from the forward loading of the sportsperson's weight istransmitted to the support element 5 by the connection means 6, directlyby the movement of the front region 26 a of the inner boot 25.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show a boot, generally indicated 100, constituting afourth embodiment of the invention, in which similar details areindicated by the same reference numerals as in the previous embodiments.

The first strap 7 of the boot 100 is restrained inside the bootleg 2 bymeans of a rivet at a first 9 a of its ends and carries a guide ring 108at the opposite, free end 9 b. A first end 11 a of the second strap 11is also restrained inside the bootleg 2, on the opposite side to the end9 a of the first strap, the second strap being led out of the bootleg 2through the guide ring 108 in order to extend around the entire opening2 a and to be led back through the guide ring 108 and is finally closedonto itself by means of touch-close pull fastening means 13. It shouldbe noted that the combination of the straps 7, 11, in which the secondstrap 11 extends through the guide ring 108 twice, permits a more stablearrangement of the straps around the bootleg 2.

To enable the second strap 11 to extend from the inside of the bootleg 2to the outside, the profile of the bootleg 2 in the region of theopening 2 a has a recess 109 a to which a symmetrically opposed recess109 b corresponds.

In the rear portion 3 of the boot, the second strap 11 may also be ledinto the bootleg 2 through suitable slots 110 formed therein.

A fifth embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 16 to 22 showing aboot 200 the components of which are indicated by the same referencenumerals as in the previous embodiments.

The boot 200 comprises a shell la to which a bootleg 2, which extendsonly partially around the shell la, is articulated in the front portion4 of the boot. The shell la has, in the rear portion 3 of the boot whichis not covered by the bootleg 2, a region of preferential deformabilitydefining a seat 201 delimited at its opposite sides by ribs 202. Theboot 200 further comprises a support element 5 fixed to the outside ofthe shell la close to the rear portion 3 so as to be housed in the seat201. As in the previous embodiments, the support element 5 can pivottowards the front portion 4 as a result of a forward bending thereof.

To allow the support element 5 to pivot, the shell la has a first slit203 extending substantially vertically along the seat 201 and open atthe top of the opening 2 a. The side edges 204 of the first slit 203 arepreferably turned outwards (see FIG. 18) so as to constitute rearshock-absorbing elements of the boot 200 and to prevent water enteringthe boot through the first slit 203. The pivoting of the support element5 relative to the shell 1 a is advantageously guided and limited byguide means provided between them and comprising, for example, a pair ofpins fixed firmly to the support element 5 and engaged for sliding inrespective eyelets 205 formed in the shell la. The support element 5 ispreferably coupled with the shell la in a condition of resilientpreloading.

The flexibility of the shell la can also advantageously be increased bythe provision of a pair of symmetrical lateral slits 206, the depth ofwhich may be selected in dependence on the desired degree of flexibility(variants shown in broken outline, indicated 206 a, 206 b in FIG. 17).

The support element 5 may be connected to the shell la by means of afixed connection, for example, by means of a boss 207 provided at itsend remote from the opening 2 a, below the slit 203. In this case, thepivoting of the support element 5 is permitted by utilizing theintrinsic flexibility of the material of which it is made.

As in the previous embodiments, the support element 5 is connected tothe front portion 4 of the boot by connection means which can adopt allof the configurations described above. They may therefore be of the typedescribed with reference to the boot 1, or the boot 100, which are shownschematically by way of example in FIGS. 19 and 20, respectively, or mayeven comprise a strap 210 anchored in a central region of the supportelement 5 on the side facing the shell 1 a, extending to the exteriorthereof through a pair of holes 211, a first 212 of its ends beingguided through a guide ring 213 fixed to the opposite end (see FIG. 21).

In a variant of the boot 200, shown in FIG. 22, the support element 5 isarticulated to the shell la by means of a pair of rivets 215 aligned todefine the pivot axis of the support element 5, and the bootleg 2 isalso closed around the rear portion 3 below the seat 201.

The boot 200 is preferably equipped with an inner boot 25 of the typedescribed above with reference to FIG. 11, in which the preferentialyielding zone is constituted by a vertical slot 31, the configuration ofwhich is similar to the first slit 203.

During forward bending of the boot 200, and hence during thecorresponding and simultaneous pivoting of the support element 5, theshell la is deformed in the region of the slits 203, 206 so as to followthe progress of the bending. It should be noted that, in this way, noempty spaces are created between the user's leg and the rear portion 3of the boot, permitting even more precise control during turning andalso preventing the undesired entry of snow into the boot.

The present invention thus solves the problem posed with reference tothe prior art mentioned, at the same time offering many otheradvantages, amongst which is improved sensitivity in the control ofturns for the sportsperson.

1. A sports boot, particularly for skiing, skating or snow-boarding inwhich an opening, a rear portion, and an opposed front portion areidentified, the boot comprising a shell, a bootleg pivotably mounted tothe shell and a support element structurally independent from the shelland the bootleg, said support element being provided substantially inthe region of the opening, and being pivotable between a first position,in which it is close to the rear portion, and a second position, inwhich it is moved towards the front portion, characterized in thatconnection means are provided between the support element and the frontportion to directly connect the support element to the front portion forpivoting the support element from the first to the second position as aresult of a forward bending of the front portion.
 2. A boot according toclaim 1 in which the support element is fixed to the rear portionoutside the opening so as to move the rear portion towards the frontportion as a result of the pivoting between the first and secondpositions.
 3. A boot according to claim 2 in which the rear portioncomprises a region of preferential deformability for permitting themovement of the rear portion towards the front portion.
 4. A bootaccording to claim 3 in which a first, substantially vertical slit, openat the top of the opening, is provided in the region of preferentialdeformability.
 5. A boot according to claim 4 in which the side edges ofthe first slit are turned outwards.
 6. A boot according to claim 3 theregion of preferential deformability constitutes a seat for housing thesupport element
 7. A boot according to claim 6 in which the supportelement is coupled with the seat in a condition of resilient preloading.8. A boot according to claim 1 in which guide means are provided and areactive between the rear portion and the support element in order toguide and limit the pivoting between the first and second positions. 9.A boot according to claim 1 in which the support element is fixed to theshell of the boot, on which the rear portion is defined.
 10. A bootaccording to claim 9 in which at least one lateral slit is provided onthe shell to favour the flexibility of the shell in the region of theopening.
 11. A boot according to claim 9 in which the support element isarticulated to the shell.
 12. A boot according to claim 1 in which thesupport element is fixed inside the opening so as to move away from therear portion as a result of the pivoting between the first and secondpositions.
 13. A boot according to claim 12 in which the support elementis articulated on the bootleg or on the shell of the boot.
 14. A bootaccording to claim 13 in which the support element is articulated on thebootleg or on the shell by pin fixing means mounted on opposite sides ofthe rear portion.
 15. A boot according to claim 13 in which the supportelement is adjustable in height relative to the bootleg or to the shell.16. A boot according to claim 1, comprising an inner boot providedinside the bootleg, preferential yielding regions being provided in theinner boot so that a top portion of the inner boot can follow thepivoting of the support element as a result of the forward bending ofthe front portion and of the consequent pivoting of the support element.17. A boot according to claim 16 in which the preferential yieldingregion comprises a rear vertical slot open at the top of the inner boot.18. A boot according to claim 16 in which the preferential yieldingregion is located at ankle level.
 19. A boot according to claim 16 inwhich the support element is fixed to the inner boot.
 20. A bootaccording to claim 19 in which the support element is fixed to the innerboot on the side opposite the front portion.
 21. A boot according toclaim 1 in which the connection means comprise a first strap connectedto the front portion and to the support element.
 22. A boot according toclaim 21 in which the first strap is wrapped around the support elementon the side remote from the front portion.
 23. A boot according to claim22 in which the first strap is closed around the rear portion and isguided through a pair of guides provided on respective opposite sides ofthe support element, the first strap being tightened by a second strapguided between the guides and closed around the front portion.
 24. Aboot according to claim 23 in which the ends of the first strap areclosed onto the support element adjustably and releasably.
 25. A bootaccording to claim 24 in which the ends are closed by touch-close pullfastening means.
 26. A boot according to claim 23 in which the firststrap is wrapped around the rear portion in a direction (A) which isoffset relative to the direction (B) in which it is also wrapped aroundthe support element.
 27. A boot according to claim 22 in which the firststrap is restrained, at a first of its ends, on the bootleg or on theshell and carries, at its free end remote from the support element, aguide ring through which is guided a second strap which is closed aroundthe front portion in order to tighten the first strap as a result of abending of the front portion.
 28. A boot according to claim 27 in whichthe second strap is restrained by a first of its ends on the bootleg oron the shell, is wrapped around the bootleg, extending through the guidering for a first time, and is then closed onto itself, extending throughthe guide ring for a second time.
 29. A boot according to claim 28 inwhich the second strap is restrained on the bootleg or on the shell onthe inside thereof, the bootleg or the shell having a recess in theregion of the opening to allow the second strap to extend between theinside and the outside of the bootleg or of the shell.
 30. A bootaccording to claim 22 in which the connection means comprise a levermechanism active on the bootleg in order to tighten the first strap. 31.A boot according to claim 30 in which a first end of the first strap isfixed to the bootleg, the opposite end of the first strap being fixed,on the opposite side of the support element, to one of the components ofa lever fastening mounted on the bootleg.
 32. A boot according to claim31 in which the lever fastening component is mounted slidably on thebootleg.